Coupler



Jan. 13.1925- 1,523,369

J. B. STEWARDSON COUPLER File-d June 6, 1923 I? D 1 ----i-- ll-"Emma WITNESSES mus/won ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 13, 1925.

UNETED STATES JAMES BERNARD STEWARDSON, OF COLBY, KANSAS.

COUPLER.

Application filed June 6, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns B. STEWARD- soN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Colby, in the county of Thomas and State of Kansas, have invented a new and Improved Coupler, of which the follow ing is a full, clear, and'exaet description.

This invention has relation to couplers and has particular reference to a coupler for detachably connecting one or more vehicles, machines, or devices with each other or with a means for moving the same.

One of the principal objects of the pres ent invention resides in the provision of a coupler which affords means for readily releasing or uncoupling the same while the strain or stress of the load is impinged there on, thereby eliminating the necessity of producing a slack in the coupling as is now the general practice.

Another object in view resides in a novel formof means for retaining the pivoted coupler element in either a locked or unlocked condition against casual or accidental inoven'ient, which means is so constructed and arranged as to be free of any binding action when the strain or stress of the load is on the coupler.

As a still further object the invention contemplates a coupler which is extremely simple in its construction and mode of operation, strong and durable, inexpensive to manufacture and produce and which is thoroughly reliable and highly efficient in its purpose.

With the above recited and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel construction set forth in the following specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claim and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that the right is reserved to embodiments other than those actually illustrated herein to the full extent indicated by the general meaning of the terms in which the claim is expressed.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a coupling constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being broken away to disclose the underlying structure.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 2 is a detail enlarged side view, parts being broken away and shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of coupler with parts broken away and shown in section.

Serial No. 643,724.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a coupler which is particularly designed for use in connection with tractors, while Fig. 3 illustrates a railway car coupler of the general design equipped with a coupler actuating and locking means constructed in accordance with the invention.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2,

- 10 and 11 designate generally a pair of coupler members which are attached res ectively to a tractor and a machine or implement which is to be drawn thereby. The coupling member 10 includes a body or housing which is built up from several pieces of material or cast from a single piece of material to provide at one end a socket 12 within which a suitable draw bar 13 is inserted and secured in place by a bolt or rivet 14. The opposite end is longitudinally and horizontally slotted to provide superposed arms 15 and 16, each of which are longitudinally and vertically slotted from their outer free ends as at 17 the slots 17 having flared entering mouths 18.

One of the forks or furcations of the arm 15 is attached to the underlying fork or furcation of the arm 16 by a web 19. A coupling element 20 is pivoted between the arms 15 and 16 by a pivot bolt21 and one extremity thereof is provided with a hook 22 while the opposite extremity 23 projects from the side of the coupling member 10 and is movable between the inner socketed end 12 and the web 19 for throwing the hooked terminal 22 respectively across the slot 17 and into engagement with the web 19 or to one side of the slot 17, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The coupling member 11 is provided with a bifurcated end through the furcations 24 of which a pin 25 extends. The extremity 28 of the couplin element 20 is provided with an eye 26 whic engages an eye 27 of a link 28, the opposite end of which link is formed with an eye 29. A channel shaped arm 30 is pivoted to the side of the member 10 on a stud bolt 31 and the rear end thereof has extending therethrough a pivot bolt or rivet 32 which also extends through the eye 29. When the arm 30 is swung rearwardly to a horizontal position the axial centers of the eyes 29 and 27 are below the axial center of the pivot bolt 31 while the hooked terminal 22 is disposed across the slot 17, thus the coupling-element 20 is gravitationally maintained in the past-cantor with an ene ure locked position illustrated in full lines in sertion of the pin 25 of the member 11 into the slots 17 and the engagement ot'said pin behind the hooked terminal 22 couples the coupling members and 11 whereby a relative pull in opposite directions thereon will not set up a sufficient l'i inding action on the gravity past-center locking means, to preclude'iready nanipulationlof said. means for the purpose of unlocking the v Coupling element trom the pin to efiect the uncoupling ofthe members 10 and '11 even thoughthe stress or s train of, theload is applied to the coupling. The pin 25 of the member 11 furtherj fiulctiglls to engage and coact with the extremity 23 of the coupling element 20 when the slame is in open position as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 whereby to "swingthe element 20 into closed position and at thesametime operate the gravity pastcenter locking means for maintaining the element 20 in its locked position. The arm 3ois' provided adjacent its free extremity 33 with which a manipulating rod 34 is connected for the purpose of manually actuating the arm a from a point remote from the coupling to ettectthe release of the coupling.

In "modified adaptation of the invention' illustrated inFig. 3 the coupler head 3,5 which is of well known railroad car type is p rovided; with ahinged knuckle 36 pivoted at 37 to the coupler, head 85 and pro vided vvithan actuating arm 38. The coupler head is provided witha bearing lug 39 extendin i telal iithfir r nl w c a channelshaped arm 40 corresponding to the arm ii Q ot thejtorm is pivoted on a pivot 4-1. At its opposite free end a transverse pivot pin 42 extends through the, arm 40; and

' throuigl ithe eye 43 of. a link 44 the opposite ante is; provided with an eye 4:5v en- J gaged in an- ,aperture $6.1m the ireeend of liigfl, ltftherefore, follows that the in is provided adjacent the free extremity of he actuating arm 38. An apertured lug 47 vertical coupling pin extending throughthe 't'urcations thereof,.and a 7 female member having a horizontally and vertically slotted .end defining laterally spaced pairs of superposed turcations, between the vertical pairs of which thecoupling pin of the male member isiadapted to be received, a coupling hook pivotedbetween the vertical furcations otthe itemale member for lateral swinging movement to respectively lock or release the pin, an arm on said coupling hook extending from oneside ofthe female member, and a past-center locking and actuating means carried by the female member and operatively connected with the arm of' 'said couv pling hook, said past-center: lockingand actuating means comprising a U-shaped'member p1 voted to the femaleimember at one end, a link respectively pivoted Wlthlll the U- shaped member at its opposite end and; pivotallyconnected to the free end be the arm of the coupling hook, the points oficonnec Lion otthe link with the arm and with the t l shaped member being disposed in a plane below the pivotalpoint' of the -U-shaped member to the. female coupling member.

JAMn-sB R-NaRn STEWARDSQN, 

